The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-02-24
"A CUP OF TEA.
4. Beverage That Cheers but
Not Inebriates.
.s.,.sure Of the Plant That Has Made Its
Wsy Through the Wide World-Old
ideas as to Its Harmlessness.

- Es.
h is curious that while the Chinese
l.jlu remote antiquity for nearly all
i products of their long-arrested civ
Guton, they give what to them is a
yuparatively modern date for the in
uduction of tea into the Celestial En-
ap. and ever then they trace the origin
Ae article to a myth. They tell us
| sst about the beginning of the sixth
sublry in our present reckoning, one
hrma, prince of high principle and
ysat piety, landed among them and
,Ns up his life wholly to devotion. He
saisred no, temple, but, living in the
lpsn air, gave day and night to prayer
nd the study of Gods work in nature,
| lii aim being to SO opurify his life that in
| be end be would become absorbed into
| he Divine Presence. He had an idea
haiti he could only conquer sleep so
lis mind might be forever alive to the
Impressions and scenes around him, and
n constant meditation ON the unseen,
be sublime purpose he had before him
aoun surely be attained. The weak
aess Of the flesh, however was too much
m thisenthusiast. Worn out by his pro-
aacted vigil, he at length fell into a
pfufoand slumber; but instead of wax
ag up with sense of comfort and re-
'rshment, it was in shame and humilia-
aea that nc opened his eyes, and in an
lgony Of grief over his failure to keep
wake he took a knife and cut off the of,
endingeyelids. Returning after a time
b the spot where this extraordinary
asnance was performed, he was amazed
ahhdthat the eyelidshad taken root and
hveloped into fragrant and beautiful
aiah, He plucked some of the leaves
nd eating them felt like a man trans
aimed. A new joy possessed his
|mnd, a new courage animated his
|sdy' be had found an elixir that con-
|lered sleep and made persistent watch
a'lness certainty. 1t was in this
ashlon, say the Chinese, that the tea
Aant came into existence. The story is
la g meaningless as it appears on the
ariace' Apart from its spiritual signifi-
Aaee, we see in the legend that from
y early period tea was regarded as a
inventive OF drowsiness; and this, in
req y the Recommendation given to
aW those Jesuit Fathers who are sup
ssea g. % have been the first Europeans
aualna to make use of the plant.
Heno not lind mention of tea in
|aasture earlier than the sixteenth
injury Certain Italian writers who
! Silsaed then speak of it, and one of
! aa anticipating Cowper, describes it
= delicate juice which takes the
y aas q wine, and is good for health
WY sooriety." Tea must then have
asaa It's way into Europe, and the
a'asaese were probably the first to
|s vt Z 1t was not, however, until
N s'H century later that it was
~ ssn' INTO England. 1t was so
'A = oI 3 rarity that a gift of a
y pounds of it to the SOW
aasn m 1864 ] was considered
y ,aaasalhcent present. In 1867 a con-
s,',' Iaole Importation of the article was
i s 'a,o this country, the amount be.
~ i asarly hive thousand pounds, but it
y a y no means ready sale. This
4. wing perhaps, less to the price
~ - 70 the prejudice with which En-
s,,a.i ii PEOPLE in the first instance re-
So So 'ne beverage. When it was first
I,s ~ U our markets from f6 to f1o
80 Aau was asked;a little later f2 los.
H.. accepted. Garraway, of coffee
a. ~; .a,ile' was retailing it in 1867 at
d Il a,een sa' to fifty shillings a pound.
= advertisement he states that ..in
s ;.,o' !. its former scarceness and dear
i s;,s ! aata been only used as regalia
ii . treatment and entertainment
ID nsssnts made thereof to princes
sa : ss'anoees;;' but better era had
s. sswned sssl. and Garraway tells us he
II s. pohcly sold the said tea in leaf
/ q A according to the directions
ss,s,..n noss knowing merchants and
~ 70 those Eastern countries. and
Ia ledge and experience of the
astrv aWays continued care and in
e,a;s. = obtaining the best tea and
ss drink thereof, very MANY
Id .a, physicians and merchants
M su'iemen of quality have
l.ss sent to him for the
i d,s. L and daily resort to this house
sssr,as..a 1ne drink thereof. Even
I'd ssss, reduced scale of prices
asa,e onplshed brewing failed to
kser,a. great demand for the new
Il q 8 ,h ana most of the writers and
- l'ne are found satirizing it.